By Kathleen Peters
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June 14, 2026
For this month’s garden spotlight, we’re featuring one of the beautiful orchids grown by our own Kathleen Peters, an accomplished gardener who seems to have a natural understanding of what plants need to thrive. Kathy serves as our Second Vice President and Membership Committee Chair, and her love of plants is reflected in the stunning orchids she nurtures at her home in Jensen Beach Country Club. Her collection proves that growing beautiful orchids doesn’t always require rare finds or complicated methods—just attentive care, patience, and a gardener’s touch. One of Kathy’s favorites is her Aree Dang Green Apple, a dendrobium. She has been growing this delightful orchid for the past three years. It enjoys plenty of bright, indirect light on her lanai, where most of her orchids happily spend their days. Kathy waters about once a week and fertilizes monthly during the growing season using Better-Gro orchid food. This past winter, she repotted her orchids in a blend of sphagnum moss and Better-Gro orchid potting mix, and the results have been rewarding—healthy plants that are clearly thriving. While the Green Apple remains a favorite, Kathy is currently watching another orchid with great anticipation. Her Cesar Green, also a dendrobium, is beginning to bloom, opening a little more each day. The flower spike stretches more than two feet in length and promises an impressive display of vibrant, intense color. Like many orchid enthusiasts, Kathy finds that part of the joy comes from the anticipation of waiting for each new bloom to unfold. Even more encouraging for those thinking about starting their own orchid collection, Kathy says many of her orchids came from Home Depot—a reminder that extraordinary blooms can begin in very ordinary places.
